Over seven years after the notorious Nisour Square massacre, former American Blackwater mercenaries have been found guilty of various charges related to the shootings, that killed 14 and wounded 17 others.
Among the convictions Nicholas Slatten was found guilty of first-degree murder. According to court documents, Slatten had bragged about his disregard for civilian life, and said he wanted to “kill as many Iraqis as he could as payback for 9/11.”
The other three guards were found guilty of several counts of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter but no counts of murder. None of the slain or wounded Iraqis was armed.
The Nisour Square incident was the beginning of the end for Blackwater, which was banned outright by Iraq in 2009. The company has sought to escape the negative image of the massacre, changing its name to “Xe Services” in 2010, and then again to “Academi” in 2011. Incredibly, the State Department continues to use the company for guards overseas.
